WEBVTT WYFF NEWS 4'S ALY MYLES WASTHERE.AL NO HATE, NO FEAR -- AMESSAGE SAYING THAT WE ARE ALLNEIGHBORS.A SONG SANG FOR DECADES, SANGAGAIN TODAY BY FOLKS ALL WANTINGTO SHARE ONE MESSAGE.>> AMERICA IS RESTING ON A GREATIDEA, AND THAT IDEA IS BEINGTHREATENEDWE'RE HERE TO RECLAIM THAT IDEA.AL AKAN MALICI IS GREENVILLE'S"MEET YOUR MUSLIM NEIGHBOR"ORGANIZER.HE SAYS THIS IS ABOUT MORE THANTHE ORDER PROHIBITING CITIZENSFROM 7 COUNTRIES COMING INTO THEU.S.>> THE IDEA OF AMERICA IS NOTALWAYS THE REALITY OF AMERICA.NATIVE AMERICANS KNOWS THIS,AFRICAN AMERICANS KNOW THIS,HISPANICS KNOW THIS, JEWS KNOWTHIS, CATHOLICS KNOW THIS,MUSLIMS KNOW THIS.AL FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THEUPSTATE CAME TO SUPPORT THEMUSLIM COMMUNITY, >> WE'RE GOING TO RESISTPOLICIES THAT OPPRESS AND SCAREPEOPLEWE WANT TO BE A PART OF THECOMMUNITY AND EMBRACE ALL PARTSOF OUR COMMUNITY.ALY: SOME OF THE PROTESTERS LIKENEDAL MEFLEH WANTED TO SHARE WHYTHEY LOVE AMERICA.>> I SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR22 YEARS IN THE US AIR FORCE, INAFGHANISTAN SEVERAL TIMES,PAKISTAN, IRAQSO THIS IS MY COUNTRY.WE LOVE IT AND WE WANT TO STHEREALY: AND WHY HE SAYS HE'S NOTGOING ANYWHERE.>> AMERICA IS ALWAYS GOING TO BETHE BEST COUNTRY BECAUSE THEYALWAYS HAVE GOOD PEOPLE TODEFEND THE CONSTITUTION ANDRIGHTS OF EVERYBODY ELSE.ALY: THIS IS THE SECOND RALLYAGAINST THE BAN JUST THIS WEEKALONE.ABOUT 200 PEOPLE ALSO CAME TO

Upstate residents held signs and sang songs of peace during Saturday's "Meet Your Muslim Neighbor" rally at One City Center in downtown Greenville.

The rally is one of dozens that happened over the weekend across the country, protesting President Donald Trump's executive order suspending refugees and prohibiting citizens of seven countries with any type of visa.

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"It's not only Muslims who are afraid. What's at stake is the character, the essence of our country. It's about all of us and who we are and what we stand for," Greenville event organizer Akan Malici said. "The idea of America is not always the reality of America. Native Americans know this, African Americans know this, Hispanics know this, Jews know this, Catholics know this, Muslims know this."

Malici has lived in America for more than 20 years after emigrating from Europe.

"I want us all to understand that democracy and it's enshrined values are not an accomplishment, they are a process," Malici said. "We need to keep working at the process."

U.S. Air Force veteran Nedal Mefleh also held a sign during the rally which read, "I'm a refugee. Love me tender, love me sweet. Not in an executive order or tweet."

"I served in the military for 22 years. In the U.S. Air Force, in Afghanistan several times, Pakistan, Iraq. This is my country. We love it and we want to stay here," Mefleh said. "We got shot at several times in Afghanistan but I made it to be here so I defend the country and I want to stand up for everybody else, all the refugees."

Mefleh said he felt the Islamic religion as a whole was persecuted when an Islamic radical commits a terrorist act.

"A Muslim is a human being like everyone else. You’re going to find bad people everywhere you go, in Christianity, Muslim, Judaism. Any place, you’re going to find bad people," Mefleh said. "It seems like they highlight the Muslim, the entire Islamic religion. When some stupid guy or somebody derails and does something bad, they all have to persecute the whole Islamic religion."

Both men were supported by other Muslims and Upstate residents wanting to support the Muslim community.

"I think we're neighbors. Refugees and diversity make our community a stronger place," rally attendee Denise Long said. "We're going to resist policies that oppress and scare people. We want to be a part of the community and embrace all parts of our community."